Valve mechanism



Oct. 16, 1945. J D. BU AN 2,387,008

VALVE MECHANI SM Original Filed Oct. 13, 1942 J6 l 1 16 i I 43 5/ /9 72 2 55 if 38 I I 6 62 6/ J D. BUCHANAN} IN I 'ENTOR.

ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 16, 1945" 2,387,008 VALVE MECHANISM J. D. Buchanan, Burbank, Calif.

Original application October 13, 1942 Serial No. 461,859. Divided and this application March 31, 1943, Serial No. 481,262 r Claims.

The invention relates to a valve mechanism, and particularly to a unitary valve mechanism useful for controlling the operation of a pair of hydraulic pistons. It has heretofore been proposed to employ a pair of hydraulicpistons for controlling the orientation and elevation of a certain driven mechanism, with a separate valve for each piston. Also. connections are provided for admitting fluid under pressure to either side of each piston with the other side connected to exhaust.

An object of the present invention is to provide a unitary valve mechanism having a common actuating member for independently or conjointly operating a plurality of valves for admitting pressure to either side of both pistons with the other side connected to exhaust. Hence both the orientation and elevation of the driven member can be controlled by means of the common valve actuator.

Another object of the invention is to reduce the number of machined parts, and hence reduce the weight and cost of valve mechanism having a plurality of valves operated by one handle.

Another object of the invention is to simplify and improve the valve mechanism for a valve assembly which is particularly suited for use in quadruplicate in a double 4-way valve having two pairs of valved passages (one pair for each hydraulic cylinder to be controlled), a high pressure inlet, and an outlet.

More particularly, the invention relates to an improved valve head for a double acting cam actuator for the valves.

For further details ofthe invention reference may be made to the drawing wherein Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view on a broken line through the valve mechanism of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view on line 2--2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

I provide a handle I2 which may partake of two kinds of movements for independently or simultaneously operating the two pairs of passages 8-9, l0-'-l l, and for connecting either passage in such pair to the high-pressure inlet not shown, with the other thereof connected to the outlet not shown. The manner in which this is accomplished,- will be more readily apparent in connection with the drawings. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the valve casing [9 has a vertical cylindrical bore 38 which extends from the bottom of the casing is through the neck l8 where this bore is enlarged as indicated at 39. The bore 38 serves to house the lower end of the double acting cam shaft or actuating member I1 and it also serves as a well into which the four double reciprocatingvalves M, 42, 43 and 44 discharge, the bore or cam well 38 communicating with the outlet not shown. Fluid under pressure in the passage 41 is supplied to either of the two valves M, 42 while the other thereof is serving'to exhaust fluid from the low pressure side of the piston which it serves. Passage 48 for a similar purpose supplies fluid under pressure to the valves 43, 44.

As before stated, the valves 4l-44 are, selectively operated in pairs by imparting two kinds of movements to the handle l2. This will now be described in further detail.

Handle- [2 can rotate on its own axis as it is supported in suitable bearings l3 and M in a cap 4. As the middle portion of handle i2 is offset to provide a crank l5 which is connected through a pitman i6 to the cam shaft ii, the cam shaft H is moved up or down when the handle I2 is rotated on its own axis in one direction or the other. Also handle l2, together with cap 4, crank I5, pitman l6 and cam shaft ll constitute a valve head and are rotatable as a unit about a vertical central axis through valve I and through cam shaft IT, as cap 4 is rotatably carried by the neck l8 of thevalve casing i9.

Cap 4 is split ona horizontal plane through handle i2, and its top piece 20 and bottom piece 2i are secured together by bolts 22. The bottom piece 2| of the cap 4 has a cylindrical extension 23 which extends into and concentric with the neck I8. Extension 23 has a cylindrical bore 24 in whichthe cam shaft I! has a rotary and sliding fit. An intermediate portion of cam shaft I1 is cut away as indicated at 25. Extension 23 has a rotary fit in the cap 26 secured by screw threads 21 to the top of neck l8, and held in position by the lock ring 28. Suitable packing 29 is provided between the top of cap 26 and the extension 23. Between the extension 23 and the neck [8 are arranged two spaced ball-bearings 30 and 3|. The bottom of cap 26 bears on the ballbearing 30, which in turn bears on a sleeve 32 which is frictionally held to the outside of extension 33. The bottom of sleeve 32 rests on a lock ring 33 in the outside of extension 23, and lock ring 33 rests on bearing 3|, while the latter rests on the enlarged upper end 34 of sleeve 35 which has a reduced section 35 fitting in the bore 38 in the valve casing I9. Thus the lock ring 33 and associated parts, prevents lengthwise or axial movement of extension 23 in either direction.

pressed in thebore 38. The bottom of bore 88 .may be closed by a-felt washer 80 and a cover cap 6| having a small aperture 82 to relieve the air pressure below the lower end 88 of valve stem II. The intermediate cam shaft portion 81 may have a sealing ring 88 and the lower end 58 may have a sealing ring 84.

The lower end of passage 41' is sealed by a screw plug 85 and the lower end of passage 48 is sealed by a screw plug 88. Bearing in mind that the section in Fig. 1 is taken on a broken line, the bore 48 in a horizontal plane is laterally separated with respect to the bore 58, in order to bring their respective valve assemblies 4| and 42 at different operating positions on the cam '61 which is formed on approximately the left half of the cam shaft l1 between the shaft portions 81 and 88 as seen in Fig. 1. The bores GI and 52 are in vertical alignment so as to bring their respective valve assemblies 43 and 44 in alignment with respect to the right half of the cam 81 where the latter is provided with two oppositely facing conical portions 58 and 88, the axes of these conical portions 68 and 88 being coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the cam shaft [1.

Each of the four valve assemblies "-44 is of the same construction. All of these valve assemblies 4|44 are parallel, as seen in a vertical plane, and they all extend into the central bore or well 38. The outer end of the bore 48 is threaded to receive a valve cage 1| which can be adjusted lengthwise in the bore 49, it being held in adjusted position by a lock nut I2. Inside of the cage 'H- is mounted a hollow tubular double acting reciprocating valve described and claimed in the companion case referred to hereafter. The piston 14 makes a sliding fit with the bore 18 at the right end of the cage 1 l. The value assembly 4| at its right end is provided with a ball valve 18 to prevent fluid flow or exhaust through the inside of valve assembly 4| into bore 38 at certain times. and valve 18 at other times is permitted to move of! from its seat to permit the exhaust liquid to flow through valve 18 into well38 and then out through the outlet.

It will now be described how the valve assemblies "-44 can be selectively operated in pairs. The cam 61, as indicated in Fig. 1, is convex and eccentric with respect to the longitudinal in the other direction makes connection 9 a supply line and connection 8 an exhaust. Also cam 61 may be reciprocated but not rotated without affecting whatever relative positions assemblies 4| and 42 then have, movement in one direction serving to make connection in 'a supply line and M an exhaust, while straight-line movement in the other direction reverses the connections. Also the amount of rotation or longitudinal movement of cam shaft i1 determines the extent of the opening of the poppet valve such as 18, 88 and hence the amount of fluid under pressure being supplied can be adjusted. Also it is apparent that the cam 61 may have any desired rotary adjustment without disturbing the then existing longitudinal adjustment, and vice versa, or it may have simultaneously rotary and longitudinal adjustments at the same or different rates.

This application is a division of S. N. 461,859 filed October 13, 1942 for Valve," which describes and claims the valve assembly. The multiple valve is described and claimed in S. N. 481,-

261, filed March 31, 1943.

It will be apparent that various modifications may be made in the invention without departing from'the spirit of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A valve comprising a casing having a neck, said neck having a comparatively large bore merging into a smaller bore in said casing, a shoulderinside of said neck at the junction of said bores, a rotatable sleeve in said neck, a cap threaded in said neck and having a central aperture rotatably supporting said sleeve, a ball-bearing between said sleeve and said neck, said shoulder supporting the bottom of said ball-bearing, a lock ring on said sleeve supported by the top of said ball-bearing, spacer means between said lock ring and said cap, and a valve stem slidably fitting said sleeve, also slidably and IOtB-tr ably fitting said casing bore, and a handle pivotally mounted on said sleeve for rotating and sliding said valve stem.

2. A valve comprising a valve casing having a sleeve and said bore, means carried by said valve head for reciprocating said cam, a bearing cap axis of the cam shaft I I, in planes at right angles a to that axis while being equally distant from that axis in planes through that axis, with the result that the ball valve 18 for valve assembly 4| and the corresponding ball valve 9| for valve assembly 42 are not operated, or at least their semblies, 48 and 44, and that rotation of cam 61 g in one direction makes connection 8 a supply line and connection 8 an exhaust, while rotation having an aperture rotatably supporting said cylindrical portion, a ball-bearing between said cylindrical portion and the inside of said neck and supported by said sleeve, a lock ring on said cylindrical portion supported by said ball bearing, a spacer sleeve on said cylindrical portion and supported by said lock ring, a second ball-bear ing between said cylindrical portion and said neck and supported by said spacer sleeve, and means for securing said cap to said sleeve, with said cap retaining said second ball-bearing against said spacer sleeve and the latter against said lock ring to prevent withdrawal of said cylindrioal member from said neck while permitting rotation thereof.

3. In valve mechanism, a, casing having a neck, a sleeve, and spaced ball bearings rotatably supporting said sleeve in said neck, a control stem slidably fitting in said sleeve, longitudinal cam means and transverse cam means on said control stem, a handle for rotating said sleeve, a

said rotatable sleeve supporting said handle across said control stem, and a crank connection inside oi said sleeve between said handle and said control stem.

5. In valve mechanism, a casing having a neck and a well, said neck having a comparatively large bore merging into a smaller bore oi' said well, a rotatable sleeve in said large bore of said neck, a fixed sleeve in said smaller bore of said well at one end of said rotatable sleeve, the bore of said rotatable sleeve and said fixed sleeve being substantially the same, a control stem, said control stem fitting each of said sleeves, a handle, spaced hearings on said rotatable sleeve supporting said handle across said control stem, and a crank connection inside of said sleeve between said handle and said control stem.

J. D. BUCHANAN. 

